What does sustainable work look like for you?

Career progress doesn't have to mean doing more, working longer or following the same path as everyone else. Sustainable work starts with understanding what you need to do your best.

When we talk about careers, it's easy to focus on the next milestone.

A promotion. A new job. A bigger salary. More responsibility. A new qualification. Starting a business.

These things can all be meaningful goals. But for disabled, neurodivergent and chronically ill people, there can be another question that is just as important: Can I actually sustain this way of working?

A job might look great on paper but leave you exhausted by the end of every week. A promotion might bring more money but also significantly more pressure. A workplace might offer flexibility, but only in theory.

Sustainable work is about finding a way of working that supports your needs and your ambitions.

And importantly, sustainable work will look different for everyone.

For our CEO, Alice, sustainable work means “working around my health and energy. As my energy fluctuates day to day, I need the flexibility to be able to shut my laptop and come back to things when I can feel my fatigue peaking”.

The question isn't necessarily “What should my career look like?” It might be more useful to ask: “What kind of working life allows me to use my skills, meet my needs and still have enough capacity for the rest of my life?”

Look beyond the job itself

When we're looking for work, we often concentrate on the role. Is the salary right? Do we have the experience? Will it help our career? Does it offer opportunities to progress?

Those questions matter, but they don't tell us everything about whether a job will actually work for us.

The environment around the job can be just as important.

Perhaps you work best when you have a quiet space and fewer interruptions. Maybe working from home some of the time gives you the concentration you need, while being in the office provides opportunities for connection and collaboration. You might find that your energy and concentration are stronger at certain times of day, making flexible hours particularly valuable.

You may also have particular ways of communicating or processing information that help you work at your best. Having information in writing, knowing what is expected of you or having time to process something before responding can make a significant difference.

Understanding these things isn't about creating a list of demands. It's about developing a clearer picture of the conditions in which you can do your best work.

Think about what drains your energy

It can be just as useful to think about what doesn't work for you.

Perhaps a long commute leaves you with very little energy before the working day has even started. Maybe a busy office environment makes concentration difficult, or constant meetings leave you struggling to complete your actual work. Unpredictable schedules, unclear priorities or having to repeatedly explain your access needs can also take a toll over time.

Sometimes, these things are simply part of a particular role. But sometimes they are barriers that could be reduced or removed.

Instead of thinking, “I'm not coping with work,” it can help to ask yourself: “Which parts of work are creating the biggest barriers for me, and is there anything that could change?”

That shift can turn a general feeling of being overwhelmed into something more practical to explore.

Your career doesn't have to follow a traditional path

There can also be a lot of pressure around what career progression is supposed to look like.

We often think of progression as moving upwards: taking on more responsibility, becoming a manager, leading a team and continuing to climb the career ladder.

But that isn't the only way to build a fulfilling career.

For some people, progression might mean becoming highly skilled in a particular area rather than moving into management. For others, it might mean working part-time, moving into self-employment or combining employed work with freelance projects. It might mean finding a role that offers greater flexibility, even if it doesn't come with a more senior job title.

And sometimes, progress might simply mean finding a way to stay in work without constantly pushing yourself beyond what is sustainable.

Your career is allowed to be designed around your life.

Choosing a working pattern that protects your energy, allows you to manage your responsibilities and gives you space outside of work doesn't mean you lack ambition. It means you're defining success on your own terms.

What do you need from work?

If you're thinking about changing jobs, it can be helpful to spend some time considering what you genuinely need from your working life before you start looking at vacancies.

Think about a time when work felt manageable. What was different about that situation? Perhaps you had a supportive manager, more control over your schedule or a working environment that suited you. Maybe you had the right equipment or simply felt comfortable being open about what you needed.

Now think about the opposite. What has made work particularly difficult in the past?

These experiences can give you useful information about what to look for—and what to avoid—in your next role.

You might realise that flexible working isn't just something you'd like; it's an important part of being able to sustain your work. Or you might discover that the most important thing for you is a predictable routine, a supportive team or the ability to take breaks when you need them.

You don't have to know exactly what your ideal job looks like. Start by understanding what helps you work well.

What does progress mean to you?

It's also worth questioning what you actually want from your career at this point in your life.

Maybe you're ready for a promotion and want to take on a new challenge. But perhaps your priority is different. You might want to earn more without taking on additional responsibility, rebuild your confidence after a difficult period, find a role that is less exhausting or explore whether self-employment could give you greater control over your working life.

There isn't a single definition of career success.

Your priorities can change as your circumstances change, and something that feels right for you now may not be what you need in a few years' time.

That's not a failure to progress. It's simply part of having a career that evolves with you.

You don't have to change everything at once

If your current way of working isn't sustainable, it can be tempting to assume that you need to make a huge change.

Sometimes a significant change might be right for you. But it isn't always the first step.

A conversation with your manager about reasonable adjustments could make your current role more manageable. A change to your working pattern might make a bigger difference than you expect. Setting clearer boundaries around your availability could help protect your energy, while asking for information in a different format could remove a barrier that has been making your work unnecessarily difficult.

And if you're considering a career change, you don't have to hand in your notice tomorrow. You can start by researching what's out there, talking to people, updating your CV or exploring a new area of work.

A sustainable career can be built gradually.

Give yourself permission to redefine success

Perhaps the most important part of sustainable work is recognising that your version of a successful career doesn't have to look like somebody else's.

You don't have to maximise your productivity every day. You don't have to accept a promotion simply because it's the expected next step. You don't have to work full-time, and you don't have to have your entire career mapped out.

You are allowed to want a career that gives you enough energy for your relationships, interests, family, community and life outside work.

You are also allowed to change your mind.

What works for you at one stage of your life may not work at another. Your access needs may change. Your priorities may change. Your ambitions may change.

A sustainable career is one that can adapt as your needs, circumstances and ambitions change.

Start with one small question

You don't need to solve your whole career today.

Instead, try asking yourself:

“What is one thing that would make my working life more sustainable?”

Perhaps the answer is a conversation you've been putting off. Perhaps it's an adjustment you've been thinking about requesting. Maybe it's exploring a different type of role, considering self-employment or simply acknowledging that the way you're currently working isn't working for you.

Whatever your answer, your next step doesn't have to be a big one.

Your career should support your life—not require you to sacrifice everything outside of work.

Need somewhere to talk things through?

At SIC, our Career Clinics provide a supportive space for disabled, neurodivergent and chronically ill people to talk through career questions, explore options and think about practical next steps.

You don't need to have a five-year plan or know exactly what you want to do. Sometimes, having somewhere to talk things through is a useful place to start.

Find out more about SIC's Career Clinics and explore our other career resources and opportunities.